"Thailand is deadliest holiday destination for Britons", screams the headline from the Times Online. Perhaps it is movies like Nicholas Case's Bangkok Dangerous that gives Thailand the impression that it is a dangerous place to visit.

Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in Asia. It also attracts its share of attention from the global media when the country has political troubles and outbreaks of violence. Perhaps not surprisingly some people feel concern for their safety or the safety of any of their loved ones who might be traveling to the country, so is the country safe for travel or should it be avoided for holidays?

Thailand has a fairly stable political system, but has had its fair share of trouble recently. As recently as 2006 tanks rolled down the main street of Bangkok as the previous government was kicked out of power. The tank images were broadcast around the world.

While those images might be scary for some, some tourists relished being in a "hot spot" at the time and even had fun getting their picture taken in front of a tank in downtown Bangkok.

Last year political protesters managed to shutdown the international airport in Bangkok, disrupting the travel plans and vacations of thousands of tourists and business people. The 2009 APEC conference in Pattaya also had to be called off because of the protests.

There were some injuries and even deaths in these political troubles, but no foreigners were killed. So what is main cause of death for Britons visiting Thailand? Motorcycle accidents.

Many Thai people don't wear helmets while riding motorcycles and the police aren't too strict at enforcing this. This is also often combined with drink driving. Many of the bikes rented to foreigners are in poor condition - a lethal combination.

The south of Thailand, has had some trouble with Muslim extremists. Cities like Hat Yai are probably best avoided.

Despite the occasional deaths by foreigners while on holiday in Thailand, if you look at the millions of people who travel there every year, the number is very small. If you plan to visit Thailand it is important to use common sense, like not drinking while driving and always wearing a helmet while riding a motorbike. It is also essential to have travel insurance.